Do you think that your phone bills are too big? Are you tired of big sums which you are to pay monthly for landline and long distance calls? Do you want your costly phone calls to become cheap phone calls? Then this article is for you. Here I'll tell you about IP-telephony which is also known as VoIP, IP phone, Internet Telephony or Broadband Phone.

As communication plays such a great role in our lives that we can hardly imagine them without cell-phones, faxes, regular mail services, emails and of course telephones, it's very important that our talks don't cost us too much. We are so busy, that sometimes don't have enough time to meet our friends. And sometimes when we even have time, our friends are far away from us. The cheapest and the easiest to use services like chats, ICQ, and forums, but they can't substitute personal touch provided by phone and his alternative - IP phone.

So, what is VoIP? Generally, VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is a system for transmitting voice over Internet, converting information from analog to the digital form when it comes across the network and then back to analog when it arrives to the receiver. Thus, VoIP is a modern technology used for making telephone calls via Internet. Using VoIP you can also send fax, not only voice through the Internet. Everyone who has a computer, which is connected to the Internet can use VoIP.

One of the main advantages of internet phone is that its users pay only for their usual Internet connection and fabulously small fee for phone calls. The other advantage is that with IP telephony you can communicate with every location on the Earth where the computer connected to the Internet is. Also, this kind of communication is pretty cost-effective, so you can use cheap pc to phone call worldwide. VoIP telephony can integrate with other services available over the Internet, including data files exchange, messages or video conversations.

To use VOIP you can:

a) Use a special digital phone;
b) Plug headphone with microphone to your computer;
c) Plug ordinary phone into a special adaptor or USB port.

Just connect PC to phone and enjoy all advantages of IP telephony.

There is a huge amount of internet phone services' providers. Providers of VoIP services have powerful servers, network and internet channels. Many of them don't provide service VoIP free of charge but still different free messenger programs based on VoIP technology such as Google Talk, Windows Messenger, Skype, Xlite and others are available.

Broadband phone may become a very useful thing if you travel a lot. It will save your money, 'cause it is much more cost-effective than cell-phone and even than traditional long distance phone through PSTN. Broadband Phone has become a major service for travellers and migrant workers. Just connect your PC to the Internet, and you can make and receive phone calls. And critical point is, you can bring your local phone number with you, yes, it is portable.

Using business VoIP services you do not only save your money but also a company's money. Business VoIP offers a lot of benefits, but cost far less for your company. Using IP telephony you can connect your office PBX to VoIP provider and decrease cost of company's calls dramatically. Using VoIP for business purposes may positively affect your career; VoIP is a useful tool for business communications and when you are in a business trip, your partners don't need to know the number of your hotel's phone 'cause they can call on your IP phone's number. Wherever you travel, to China or Zimbabwe, with VoIP phone you don't depend on local phone service, just be sure you are attached to the Internet.

VoIP is a kind of prepaid phone usually, so if you use IP telephony not thought the Internet but with the regular phone, you can make a local call, then insert your pin number and make long distance call for pennies at the expense of your prepaid account.

So, Voice-over-Internet-Protocol is a cost-effective, unbelievable flexible and handy way of communication. Try it and you'll not be disappointed. Don't waste your money on traditional landlines. Let's VoIP.

If you are confused by some abbreviations or shorts in this article, feel free to visit VoIP glossary - http://www.callsend.net/glossary/